Investigation of the properties and the processes in planetary near-surface layers

类地行星与巨行星的不同之处在于它们都有一个固体表面。它们的近表层，要么是由难熔颗粒组成的浮冰，要么是冰/浮冰的混合物，是与大气/空间的界面。它们关键地决定了挥发物、难熔物质和能量与周围环境的交换。我们建议根据我们使用Pluto、MUPUS-PEN和CASE仪器的经验，通过建模和实验来研究样本表面层，以找到测量这些表面层的物理性质和结构的合适技术。对物理性质的了解应有助于增进我们对交换过程(热交换和挥发性交换)以及表层沉积和侵蚀历史的了解。一旦冥王星/小猎犬2号和MER任务数据--提交人可以获得--得到后，这些模型将被用于推断着陆点的浮冰沉积历史。

Terrestrial planets differ from the giant planets in that they all possess a solid surface. Their near surface layers, either regolith made of refractory particles or ice/regolith mixtures, are the interface with the atmosphere/space. They critically determine the exchanges of volatiles, refractory matter and energy with the surrounding environment. We propose to study example surface layers by modelling and experiment to find suitable techniques for measuring the physical properties and structure of such surface layers based on our experiences with the instruments PLUTO, MUPUS-PEN and CASSE. The knowledge of the physical properties should help to improve our understanding of exchange processes (thermal and volatile exchanges) as well as of the depositional and erosive history of the surface layers. As soon as PLUTO/Beagle 2 and MER mission data - to which the proposers have access to - become available these models will be applied to infer the regolith deposition histories at the landing sites.